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There are plenty of “what ifs” which have stayed on the minds of wrestling fans, and will likely remain there forever. There have been many opportunities throughout WWE history for particular dream matches to take place, but for whatever reason, they haven’t come to fruition. One of the most major dream matches which had a strong possibility of happening, but never did, was between two of arguably wrestling’s greatest babyfaces ever - “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and Hulk Hogan. WWE had actually planned for this match to take place, but due to several different issues and reasons, this dream match never saw the light of day, which is most definitely a huge shame.
Hulk Hogan & Steve Austin Are WWE’s Two Biggest Babyfaces Ever
Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, Hulk Hogan was by far the number one good guy in professional wrestling - perhaps in all of wrestling history. He dominated WWE, main eventing several WrestleMania’s and reigning as the WWE Champion on multiple occasions, defeating any and all-comers on his way to becoming a mega draw and sensation. He would leave WWE in 1993, leaving a gaping hole at the top of the card for a new top babyface to emerge.
RELATED: Ric Flair Vs Hulk Hogan: Their Forgotten 2002 WWE Undisputed Championship Match, Explained
The likes of Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, and Diesel attempted to fill that void, but due to a lack of commitment in terms of booking, some injuries, and expiring contracts, WWE couldn’t find their next major draw. In 1995, Steve Austin made the move from WCW to WWE, and whilst there weren’t too many major expectations for him at the time, he would eventually become a phenomenon. The “Stone Cold” gimmick revolutionized WWE, kickstarting the Attitude Era in what would soon become one of the most lucrative and buzz-filled periods in wrestling history. WWE had found their next Hulk Hogan in Austin, despite him being the complete polar opposite in terms of character.
When WWE bought WCW in 2001, one of the names who eventually came back over the border to the WWE side was Hogan, meaning that he and Austin were each on the same roster at the exact same time. This set the fantasy booking heads of WWE fans into a frenzy, with there being many possible dream matches which could very soon be a reality, with Hogan vs Austin at the top of that list. As WrestleMania 18 approached, the plan from WWE looked to be potentially booking this dream match, but unfortunately it never happened.
There Was Some Rumored Heat Between Steve Austin And Hulk Hogan
When the idea for a match with Hogan was pitched to Austin, he was always very against it. At the time, Hogan was well past his prime and Austin’s injuries were catching up with him, so from an in-ring perspective it could have been an awkward watch. That being said, Hogan’s charisma and connection with the audience managed to save many matches which could have been poor during this run with the company.
RELATED: Edge & Hulk Hogan: A Look Back At The Brief But Beloved WWE Tag Team
In 2002, when the nWo appeared in WWE under Hogan’s leadership, it caused a potential rift in the cases of both Steve Austin and The Rock. During that time, Austin and Rock were the two biggest names in WWE, but with the incoming Hogan, there was some threat to their spots as the top draws in the company. This may have caused some minor heat, which was confirmed by Hogan in an interview with Peter Rosenberg, and may have even played into the fact that a match between Austin and Hogan didn’t take place. Whilst it has never been outright confirmed, there is a strong chance that neither Hogan nor Austin wanted to put the other over, which was incredibly common for the big stars of that era, especially in the case of Hogan.
Steve Austin Didn’t Feel Comfortable Coming Out Of Retirement For Hulk Hogan
In the end, a dream match between The Rock and Hogan took place at WrestleMania 18, and it was absolutely tremendous. In the years that followed, Austin was allegedly offered a match with Hogan on a few occasions but didn’t agree to competing. On an episode of the Steve Austin Show, he revealed that Hogan was in fact his dream opponent, but never felt ready enough to return to the ring to make it a reality.
RELATED: Steve Austin Vs Scott Hall: A WWE Dream Feud That Turned Into A Flop
Even with potentially underwhelming in-ring work, the Rock vs Hogan match proved that atmosphere alone could turn a basic wrestling match into an all-time classic, so it is very likely that this dream match would have been a success. Unfortunately, it will remain as one of the biggest “what ifs” in wrestling, with Austin never committing to making the match happen at the time, or in subsequent years. The only time Austin would return to the ring after his retirement was 19 years later at WrestleMania 38, showcasing just how rare a match for Austin was after he initially stepped away.
